EU LEADERS WELCOME UK-EU TRADE DEAL

European leaders are "warmly welcoming" a new phase in the UK-EU relationship, after the European Parliament ratified a post-Brexit trade deal.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was "great news" — and "time to look forward to a new relationship with the EU — and a more global Britain."

But intense disagreements remain.

Stuart Smith reports from Brussels.

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UK's electoral watchdog launches investigation into Boris Johnson's flat refurbishment funding

The UK's electoral watchdog has launched a formal investigation into how refurbishments on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Downing Street flat were funded.

The Prime Minister says he paid for it himself but the opposition Labour Party says he hasn't been clear on whether party donors or loans were involved initially in settling some of the bills.

Chris Jones has more in London

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DRC COVID-19 VACCINES

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The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says it will take 1.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the Democratic Republic of Congo and redistribute them to other African countries to avoid their expiration.

The AstraZeneca vaccines are set to expire on the 24th of June. The DRC Government requested the UN agency to redistribute them following low vaccination take-up.

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Biden unveils $1.8 trillion spending and tax plan

The White House has released details of a $1.8 trillion plan aimed at boosting education and family programs by raising taxes on the wealthy.

President Biden will try to sell Congress on the merits of his proposal in a speech Wednesday evening in Washington.

Rebecca Foster reports.

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Germany hits vaccine milestone as Merkel promises faster rollout

Intro: Germany has hit a major vaccine milestone, with new data showing the pace of the inoculation drive is picking up speed.

After an initially slow start late last year, there are hopes Europe's biggest economy could be on track to protect a majority of its population by summer.

Trent Murray reports from Berlin.

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US judge to rule on Andrew Brown body cam footage

A judge in the US state of North Carolina will decide whether to
release police body camera footage from the fatal shooting of black
man Andrew Brown.

Several people were arrested during a 7th night of protests in
Elizabeth City, where Brown was shot dead last Wednesday.

And from where Nick Harper reports.

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China and Germany commit to work closely on vaccines

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang have committed to work closer together in the fight against Covid-19. 

The joint declaration comes as the leaders held high-level talks via video conference between Berlin and Beijing. 

Trent Murray reports. 

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UK’s Electoral Commission to investigate Prime Minister Boris Johnson

The UK's Electoral Commission has launched a formal investigation into the funding of refurbishments by Boris Johnson to his Downing Street apartment. 

The Prime Minister has been under growing pressure to disclose who initially financed the revamp after his former adviser, Dominic Cummings, claimed Conservative party donors "secretly paid" for the works.

The Commission has the power to issue fines if the law has been broken, although if Boris Johnson is found to have acted illegally, he could even face calls to resign.

Political reporter Theo Usherwood has the statement issued by the watchdog.

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Russia expels more diplomats

Russia has asked diplomats from the Baltic states and Slovakia to leave the country amid a flurry of expulsions. It comes as Moscow prepares a list of "unfriendly nations" whose embassies will be subject to greater restrictions. Julia Chapman has more.

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Single Covid shot halves risk of transmissibility, UK study shows

Just one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine can reduce household transmission of the virus by up to half.

That's according to a study by Public Health England which shows that those who received a shot of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca jab are far less likely to pass on the virus than unvaccinated people.

Almost 34 million people in Britain have had at least one vaccine dose.

From London, Benji Hyer reports. 

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EU Parliament ratifies post-Brexit trade deal

European lawmakers have overwhelmingly backed the post-Brexit trade deal with the United Kingdom, bringing to an end the long divorce process.

But despite the strong support, the deal is unlikely to mend strained relations between the two former EU members anytime soon.

Toni Waterman has more from Brussels.

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ONE DOSE OF VACCINE 'CUTS TRANSMISSION BY UP TO HALF'

A single covid-19 vaccine dose can reduce transmission of the virus in households by up to half, according to new UK data.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says it's news that will be 'crucial' in beating the pandemic.

People who received one dose of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine, and later became infected, were between 38% and 49% less likely to pass the virus on people who hadn't been vaccinated.

Over 33 million people in Britain have had at least one vaccine dose.

Public health expert Professor John Ashton says the new data should lead to a shift in the vaccination rollout.

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India reports another global surge in Covid-19 infections amid crisis

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India's daily Covid-19 infections have hit another global daily record high, as the crisis continues to put an enormous strain on the country's healthcare system.

New infections rose by more than 360,000 in the past 24 hours, while there were more than 3,000 deaths, bringing the overall numbers of lives lost to Covid-19 in India to more than 200,000 according to official numbers.

Rebecca Bundhun reports from Mumbai.

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European lawmakers vote in favour of EU-UK trade deal

The European Parliament has overwhelmingly voted to approve the post-Brexit trade deal, agreed by the EU and UK at the end of December. 

660 MEPs voted in favour of the deal, 5 against. 

The final ratification of the deal in Brussels marks the final act of four years of high political drama. 

Stuart Smith reports from Brussels.

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Australia – Olympians reclassified for covid vaccine

Australian athletes have been reassured that they will receive a covid vaccination, ahead of the Tokyo games which are set to begin on the 23^rd of July.

With the countries National Cabinet approving the reclassification of olympic athletes, some could be vaccinated as soon as next week.

Shaun Bindley reports.

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COURTESY AIR NEWS MEDIA - AUSTRALIA

Japan to open large Tokyo vaccination center to speed up rollout

The Japanese government said that it is planning to open a large-scale vaccination site in Tokyo in a bid to speed up Japan's vaccination program. The announcement comes amid concerns over the spread of new variants driving up infection rates.

Phoebe Amoroso reports in Tokyo.

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Hong Kong bans Tiananmen commemoration for second year on COVID-19 concerns

The Hong Kong government says that for the second year running, it won't allow a mass vigil to commemorate the crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing. 

The government says it can't approve the gathering due to COVID-19 health risks. 

Democracy campaigners say the virus is being used as an excuse to suppress the event.  

Richard Kimber reports from Hong Kong.

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Family of Black Man shot by North Carolina police demand release of more bodycam footage

The family of Andrew Brown Jr, a black man shot by US police last week in North Carolina, are calling for authorities to release more footage of the incident.

Their lawyers say he was executed by a "kill shot to the back of his head".

Nick Harper reports from Elizabeth City where the fatal shooting occurred.

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US plans to ease international student travel restrictions

The United States is planning to ease travel restrictions for international students from China, Brazil, South Africa, Iran and most of Europe by the autumn.

They will be exempted from travel bans that were put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Jagruti Dave reports from Washington.

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US relaxes outdoor masking guidance

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has relaxed its outdoor masking guidelines for fully vaccinated Americans.

Health officials said people who'd received all their COVID-19 jabs could attend certain outdoor gatherings with small groups of people, without wearing a face covering.

Jagruti Dave reports from Washington.

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